Combination sill and threshold



Dec. 13, 1960 A. M. PETERSON 2,963,752

COMBINATION sILL AND THREsHoLD Filed April l5. 1959 'Ill I' l" 115:2:

CIVENA'HON SILL AND THRESHOLD Aldon M. Peterson, 764 Columbine Drive, Beloit, Wis.

Filed Api-.15, 1959, Ser. No. 806,504

4 Claims. (Cl. 2011) This invention relates to novel and useful improvements in a door sill construction.

Various and important objects of this invention are to provide a door sill which can be easily and rapidly installed in an outer doorway of a house or the like; which is adapted to be used in walls of diderent thickness; which can be used with linish lioors of any desired thickness to lie flush with the finished floor; and which does not require any cutting of the sub-floor or any complex shaping of the sill in order to install the same.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a door sill in which the ends of the sill are arranged to underlie the lower ends of the door jamb to be retained in position thereby and to provide a more weather tight seal.

These, together with various ancillary objects and advantages of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view through one corner of a door opening and illustrating the Vinvention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through a door opening and illustrating the manner of installing the sill with linish floors having a thickness greater than the thickness of the sill; and

te States Patent Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken 'A on the plane 33 of Pig. 2 with the threshold removed.

The door sill and threshold construction of the present invention is generally adapted for use in a doorway 10 formed in an outer wall 11 of a house. The wall may be of any suitable construction, either masonry or frame, a frame type wall structure being illustrated herein in which the door opening is defined at the bottom by the sub-door 13 and at the sides by studs 14.V The outer sheathing 15 is affixed to the outer face of the studs and the inner wall 16 such as lathe and plaster is aiiixed to the inner sides of the studs. The thickness of the Wall l1 will vary with diierent structures. Moreover, the thickness of the iinish iioor will also vary. In some construction, tile or linoleum is used to provide a iinish loor 1S, which tile may be laid directly on top of the sub-floor, as shown in Fig. l, or on top of an underlayment which overlies the sub-door. In other installations, a relatively thick nish floor-is provided, such as the wooden door 19 shown in Fig. 2. It is a feature of the present invention that the sill and threshold construction is adaptedfor use with outer walls `of widely varying thickness, and also with `iinish oors of different'thickness.

A door frame is provided in the opening and includes spaced jarnbs 2l having a width corresponding to the thickness of the outer wall 11, and having a vertical rabbet or groove 22 formed in the inner face thereof and defining an inner door stop 23 for an inner door (not shown). An outer casing 24, having a thickness corresponding to the thickness of the outer door, overlies the outer edge of the jambs 21 and is offset from the face thereof to dene an outer door stop 25.

The door sill of the present invention comprises a liat rear plate 31 and an integral relatively thicker front plate 32 having the upper surface 32a thereof inclined downwardly from the upper surface of the rear plate, and the lower surface 33a disposed parallel to and offset below the rear plate to define a shoulder 34 therebetween. A depending liange 36 is formed at the outer edge of the front plate 32 and the width of the front plate is made equal to the thickness of the outer casing 24 so that the ange 36 is disposed ush therewith. The front plate 32 of the sill extends between the outer casing strips 24, and a horizontal notch or groove 38 (see Figs. 2 and 3) is formed in the lower end of the jamb 21, to extend between the inner and outer door stops 23 and 25 and receive the end portion ofthe rear plate 31. Consequently, the rear plate 3l is co-extensive with the front plate so that the sill has straight end edges 30 and does not require any complex shaping of the end in order to install the same to different sized door openings.

In installing the sill, the upper surface of the rear plate 31 is mounted to extend flush with the finish floor. The rear plate has a thickness corresponding to the thickness of conventional floor tile or linoleum and, when this finish floor is employed, the rear plate of the sill can be mounted directly on the sub-floor as shown in Fig. 1 or on the underlayment on which the tile or linoleum is laid. Alternatively, when a relatively thicker finish floor 19 is employed, a shim strip 39 having a thickness less than the finish floor by an amount equal to the thickness of the rear plate, is mounted on the sub-floor 39 to underlie the rear plate and the lower ends of the door jambs 21. When the rear plate is secured to the shim 39, the upper surface thereof extends ush with the iinish door. The locating shoulder 34 formed between the front and rear plates 31 and 32, is arranged to engage the outer face of the Wall 11 to properly' locate the sill in the doorway. When installed, the rear plate extends to a point adjacent the inner door stop 23. Although the spacing between the rear edge of the plate 31 and the inner edge of the door jamb 21 will vary dependent on the thickness of the outer wall 11, it is apparent that this change in spacing can be accommodated by a threshold 41 formed separate from the sill and including a raised step 42 and sloping faces 43 and 44 along opposite sides thereof. The threshold has substantially coplanar bottom faces 45 and 46 along opposite sides thereof adapted to rest on the upper surface of the inner lioor and on the rear plate 31 of the sill.

The front plate 32 of the sill projects outwardly from the wall 11 and the sloping upper face 32a thereof is arranged to underlie the outer door and to provide drainage. A reinforcing strip 4S is attached to the outer wall below the door opening and is arranged to underlie the lower surface 33a of the front plate and to engage the rear face of the flange 36 to support the projecting portion of the sill. Conveniently, the ashing 51 may be interposed between the strip 48 and the front of the wall 11.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the sill can be readily and easily installed in a door opening since it does not require any cutting or beveling of the sub-door as is required with conventional door sills. Further, since the sill is received in the notch 38 at the lower end of the jambs, it is only necessary to make a straight cut across the end of the sill in order to adapt the sill for relatively narrower door openings. When installed in this manner, the door jamb aids in retaining the sill plate in position and provides a more weather tight seal therebetween. It is further apparent that the sill can be used with very thin finish floors such as the tile shown in Figure 1, or with relatively thick finish floors, by the use of a shim such as 39,` and can be used with outer Walls 11 of different thickness since the separate threshold 41 adequately covers the spacebetween the sill and the nish floor. Whenthe sillY is used with thin finish floorsy such as tile, the sub-floor forms a base for the sill spaced door jambs each having a vertical rabbet in the and, when the sill is used with relatively thick finish Yan Vouter door stop therewith, a finish floor extending adjacent the inner edge of 4the jambs, and means defining a sill base extending forwardly from the finish oor to the outer edge of the jambs providing an upper n surface parallel to and offset below the surface of the 'finish floor, of a one-piece metal door sill mounted on said base to extend between said jambs, said sill having fa flat rear plate portion with its upper surface substantially coplanar with the finish floor and extending forwardly to the outeredge of jamb, said sill also having an integral front plate portion on the forward edge of the rear plate portion extending forwardly to the outer edge of the casing, said front plate portion being thicker than said rear plate portion `and having an upper surface inclined downwardly and outwardly from the real'VV plate portion and a lower surface disposed parallel to and'offset below the lower surface of the rear pla-te portion'to define a shoulder therebetween engageable with the forward Vedge of Ythe base for aligning the sill therewith, and an inner door threshold formed separate from the sill and having flat substantially coplanar under faces resting on the rear plate portion and the finish floor.

"2. The combination with a door structure including spaced door jarnbs, a casing ,attached to the outer edge of the jambs and odset from the face thereof to define an outer door stop therewith, a nish floor extending adjacent the inner edge of the jambs, and means defining a sill base extending forwardly from the finishV floor to the outer edge of the jambs providing an upper surface parallel to and odset below the surface of the finish floor, of a one-piece metal door sillrrnounted on said base to extend between said jambs, said sill having aV flat rear plate portion with its upper surface substantially coplanar with the finish floor and extending forwardly to the outer edge of the jamb, said sill also having an integral front plate portion on the forward edge of the rear plate portion extending forwardly to the outer edge of the casing, said front plate portion being thicker than said rear plate portion and having-an upper surface inclined downwardlyand outwardly from the rear plate portion and a lower surface disposed parallel to and odset below the lower surface of the rear plate portion to define a shoulder therebetween engageable with the forwardedge of the base for aligning'the sill therewith, an inner door threshold formed separate from the sill and having fiat substantially coplanar under faces resting on the rear plate portion and the finish floor, a wide depending ange on the forward edge of said front plate portion, and a filler strip attached to the front of the base engaging the underside of said front plate portion and the rear face of said depending flange for supporting said front plate and said flange. Y

3. The combination with a door structure including inner edge thereof defining an inner door stop, a casing attached to the outer edge of the jambs and offset from the face thereof -to define an outer door stop therewith, the jambs `having a horizontal notch -in their lower ends extending between the inner and outer door stop, a finish fioor extending adjacent lthe inner edge of the jambs, and means defining a sill base extending forwardly from the finish door to the outer edge of the jambs and forming an upper surface parallel to and odset below the surface of the finish door, of a one-piece metal door sill mounted on said base between said jambs, said sill having a at rear plate portion resting on said base with its upper surface substantially coplanar with said finish floor and extending forwardly to the outer edge of the jambs, said sill having an integral front plate portion on the forward edge of the rear plate portion and extending forwardly to tlhe outer `edge of the casing, said front plate portion being thicker than said rear portion and having an upper surface inclined downwardly and outwardly from the rear plate portion and a lower surface parallel to and odset below the lower surface of the rear plate portion vto define a shoulder therebetween engageable with the Vforward edge of the base for aligning the sill therewith, said front plate portion abutting against the casing and said rear plate portion having the same width as said front plate portion to extend into said notches in the jambs.

4. The combination With a door structure including spaced door jambs each having a vertical rabbet in the inner edge thereof defining an inner door stop, a casing attached to the outer edge of the jambs and odset from the face thereof to define an outer door stop therewith, lthe jambs having a horizontal notch in their lower ends extending between the inner and outer door stop, a finish floor extending adjacent the inner edge of the jambs, and means defining a sill base extending forwardly from the finish floor to the outer edge 'of the jambs and formingap upper surface parallel to and odset below the surface of the finish door, of a one-piece metal door sill mounted on said base between said jambs, said sill having a fiat rear plate portion resting on said base with its upper surface substantially coplanar with said finish floor and extending forwardly to the outer edge of the jambs, said sill having an integral front plate portion on the forward edge of the rear plate portion and extending forwardly to the outer edge of the casing, said front plate portion being thicker than said rear plate portion and having an upper surface inclined downwardly and outwardly from the rear plate portion and a lower surface parallel to andv odset below the lower surface of the rear plate portion to define a shoulder therebetween engageable with the forward edge of the base for aligning the sill therewith, said front plate portion abutting against the casing `and said rear plate portion having the same width as said frontV plate portion to extend into said notches in the jambs, a Wide depending flange on the forward edge of said front plate portion and a filler strip attached to the front of the base and engaging the underside of the front plate portion andthe rear face of said flange to support the same.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

